On 01.12.1942 the 8. SFltl had been formed again. Commander was Kptlt. Zymalkowski. He got assigned the boats "S 44" (Lt.z.S. Quistorp) from the 6. SFltl, "S 64" (Kptlt. Wilcke) and "S 66" (Lt.z.S. Schuur) from the 4. SFltl, "S 69" (Oblt.z.S. Ritter von Georg) from 6. SFltl, "S 108" (Lt.z.S. Osterloh) and "S 118" (OFhnr.z.S. Fanger) from the 2. SFltl as well as "Carl Peters" and as torpedo-control-engineering ship and torpedo stock steamship "Hernøsand".

Delayed by bad weather The flotilla was ordered to transit to northern Norway but delayed by bad weather had noit left harbour before December 16th an 17th 1942. The flotilla was bolown in at Stavanger. On January 19th 1943 four boats arrived the harbour of Bodø, the other four were still laying in Trondheim. 

Signalman at signalduty - Picture: Archives Freundeskreis Schnellboote und Korvetten

To protect German shipping along the Northnorwegian coast had the old boats of the fast Subchacer-Group ("S 11", "S 13", "S 15" und "S 16") transitted from Bergen to Trondheim. Now they sailed back to Bergen. 

"S 13", "S 15" and "M 2" at Bergen 1943 - Picture: Archives Erling Skjold

After at all boats were assembled in Bodø, the  8. SFltl started a training-phase. 

8. SFltl on march in northern Norway Summer 1943 - Picture: Archives Atle Wilmar

Official note on rear of picture above

On March 17th 1943 the 8. SFltl was at Ramsund and was laying alongside "Carl Peters" when a German steamship, the "Anna Rehder", rammed the boats, so that "S 118" was badly damaged and had to goto the shipyard at Harstad.

On March 26th 1943 the boats and "Carl Peters" sailed from to Harstad.

Tender "Carl Peters" at Harstad 26.03.1943 - Picture: Archives Erling Skjold

8. SFltl going alongsice at "Adolf Lüderitz " at Harstad 26.03.1943 - Picture: Archives Erling Skjold

On the picture above a boat with the coat of arms of the 4. SFltl, the panther, is alongside with the tender. Therefore she must be "S 64" or "S 66".

On April 28th 1943 "S 44" and "S 69" were employed in a search and rescue operation for survivors of a missed ME 109 which endedd without results.

Tender "Carl Peters" in Norwegian Waters in Summer 1943 - Picture: Archives Erling Skjold

Tender "Carl Peters" in Norwegian Waters in Summer 1943 - Picture: Archives Erling Skjold

Thereafter the flotilla was in readiness until it was ordered back to Germany end of May, were it arrived on June 18th 1943. In the due shipyard-phase at Kiel a bomb attack by the Royal Airforce (RAF) took place on August 27th 1943, which the boats "S 44" and "S 66" fell to victim. From the 6. SFltl fell out by the same attack "S 135" and "S 137" (total loss). 

After the end of the shipyard-phase transit to the operation area Channel with the boats "S 68", "S 69" und "S 127" on September 10th 1943 started.